More Images

Related Links

UPDATE: Father mourns son killed in I-75 crash

Mitchell Davis, 18, of Osprey died in an accident Saturday night on Interstate 75 near Sarasota.
(Photo provided)

Staff report

Published: Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 7:44 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 11, 2013 at 5:34 p.m.

SARASOTA COUNTY - A devastated Randy Davis described Monday how his son lost his life and his daughter suffered serious injuries in a tragic accident on Interstate 75 just south of Sarasota last weekend.

Mitchell Davis was celebrating his 18th birthday on a trip with friends to Busch Gardens in Tampa. On the way home on Saturday night, his sister, Azalea, who was driving, experienced a migraine headache.

Azalea pulled off on Bee Ridge Road and Sam Ball, 18, the owner of the Toyota Tundra, took over driving. Mitchell moved to the back seat and rubbed the neck of his sister in front of him in the passenger seat, Randy Davis said.

But just a few miles farther down I-75 at around 10 p.m., Ball lost control of the truck. It veered off the highway and when Ball tried to regain steering, the truck swerved and flipped.

Mitchell Davis was killed. Azalea Davis, 21, and another passenger, Venice High School student Kyle Incrocci, suffered serious injuries and remained hospitalized Monday at Blake Medical Center. They are expected to recover.

From his hospital bed, Incrocci said that Mitchell Davis saved his life by grabbing him when the truck started to flip and kept him from being ejected, Randy Davis said.

It is unclear what caused Ball, 18, a Venice High School senior, to lose control of the truck. Ball's youth minister said Ball told him that he fell asleep. The Florida Highway Patrol said alcohol and drugs were not involved.

Ball suffered minor injuries, but is feeling the enormous pain of losing his best friend, said Mike Gibson, youth counselor at Venice Bible Church.

"Sam has been breaking down about every five minutes," Gibson said. "Sam is a great kid. To see the body of his best friend like that ... you would not wish that on anybody."

Mitchell Davis was not wearing a seat belt, but that was a tragic anomaly his father said.

"Anyone who knew Mitchell knew that he always wore his seat belt," Randy Davis said. "The reason he wasn't in this case was that he had just moved to the back seat and was leaning forward to comfort his sister.

"It's so hard because these were kids who were just having a good clean time," he added. "They weren't racing or partying in the woods."

Davis said his son was a "great kid who everyone loved."

Mitchell was working for his father in a general contracting business and was doing so well that his dad changed the name of the business to Davis contracting in the hope he could pass it on to his son.

Mitchell also loved to fish.

Before working for his father, Mitchell bussed tables at the Casey Key Fish House, where he was well liked. A celebration of his life is scheduled for Saturday at the restaurant.

Youth minister Gibson said Mitchell was known for his generous spirit and will be deeply missed.

"He was described as a kid who would give you the shirt off his back," Gibson said of Davis. "They were celebrating his birthday at Busch Gardens and it was Mitchell who bought gifts there for his friends."

EARLIER: Sam Ball and Mitchell Davis were best friends who spent Saturday at Busch Gardens in celebration of Davis' 18th birthday.

But on the way home to Venice on Saturday night, Ball fell asleep on Interstate 75. The Toyota Tundra that he was driving veered off the highway about four miles south of Clark Road. As Ball jolted awake and tried to correct the truck, it flipped.

Davis, of Osprey was killed at the scene. Two other passengers, Mitchell's 21-year-old sister Azalea, and Kyle Incrocci, 17, were seriously injured. Both were in intensive care at area hospitals on Monday.

Ball suffered minor injuries, but is feeling the enormous pain of losing his best friend, said Mike Gibson, youth counselor at Venice Bible Church.

"Sam has been breaking down about every five minutes," said Gibson. "Sam is a great kid. To see the body of his best friend like that ... you would not wish that on anybody."

Gibson spent time with Ball and other young people helping them deal with the tragedy. The Florida Highway Patrol says alcohol or drugs were not present. Ball simply fell asleep, he told Gibson.

Davis, a former Venice High School student, was known for his love of fishing and his generosity.

"He was described as a kid who would give you the shirt off his back," Gibson said of Davis. "They were celebrating his birthday at Busch Gardens and it was Mitchell who bought gifts there for his friends."

Venice High School had counselors at the school Monday to help students cope with the tragedy. Ball and Incrocci are seniors at Venice.

No funeral information was available Monday.

Check back at heraldtribune.com for updates on this story.

EARLIER: The driver of a pickup that flipped over on Interstate 75 late Saturday wore a seat belt and escaped serious injury. His passengers, two of whom reportedly were not strapped in, were not so fortunate.

Mitchell Davis, 18, of Nokomis, died in the rollover accident. The former Venice High School student did not wear a seat belt and was ejected from the truck.

Kyle Incrocci, 17, a soccer player at Venice High, was in serious condition at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that Incrocci did not wear a seat belt either.

Azalea Davis, 21, of Osprey, was in serious condition at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton. Troopers say she and the driver wore seat belts.

Sam Ball, 18, of Venice — a weightlifter at Venice High School — drove the southbound 2002 Toyota Tundra. Paramedics took him to Doctors Hospital in Sarasota for treatment of minor injuries.

On his Facebook page, Ball lists Incrocci as his cousin and Mitchell Davis among his friends. The group reportedly had been out for the evening celebrating Mitchell Davis' birthday.

The FHP is still investigating the accident and no charges had been filed as of Sunday. Troopers said the crash was not alcohol related.

Shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, Ball lost control of the vehicle in a southbound lane near mile marker 201 — about four miles south of the Clark Road exit.

The pickup veered off the highway and into the grass median.

Ball attempted to steer the pickup back onto the highway, where it rotated and then overturned several times, state troopers say.

Investigators do not know what caused Ball to lose control of the vehicle.

Florida law requires drivers, front-seat passengers and all passengers younger than 18 to wear a seat belt.

According to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, the risk of death in a traffic accident is five times greater if the person is thrown from the vehicle.

WITNESS SAW CRASH SCENE

Colin Casper of Port Charlotte said that he was just behind Ball's truck when the accident occurred.

“I thought they were all dead,” Casper said. “There were bodies in the middle of the highway. The truck was nothing but pieces.”

Renae Mikita Hoover, a former neighbor, described Mitchell Davis as “a great kid, a smart kid, just a kid you loved to be around.”

She also expressed concern for two other injured passengers. Azalea, Mitchell's sister, and Incrocci remain in serious condition at regional hospitals.

<p><em>SARASOTA COUNTY</em> - A devastated Randy Davis described Monday how his son lost his life and his daughter suffered serious injuries in a tragic accident on Interstate 75 just south of Sarasota last weekend.</p><p>Mitchell Davis was celebrating his 18th birthday on a trip with friends to Busch Gardens in Tampa. On the way home on Saturday night, his sister, Azalea, who was driving, experienced a migraine headache.</p><p>Azalea pulled off on Bee Ridge Road and Sam Ball, 18, the owner of the Toyota Tundra, took over driving. Mitchell moved to the back seat and rubbed the neck of his sister in front of him in the passenger seat, Randy Davis said.</p><p>But just a few miles farther down I-75 at around 10 p.m., Ball lost control of the truck. It veered off the highway and when Ball tried to regain steering, the truck swerved and flipped.</p><p>Mitchell Davis was killed. Azalea Davis, 21, and another passenger, Venice High School student Kyle Incrocci, suffered serious injuries and remained hospitalized Monday at Blake Medical Center. They are expected to recover.</p><p>From his hospital bed, Incrocci said that Mitchell Davis saved his life by grabbing him when the truck started to flip and kept him from being ejected, Randy Davis said.</p><p>It is unclear what caused Ball, 18, a Venice High School senior, to lose control of the truck. Ball's youth minister said Ball told him that he fell asleep. The Florida Highway Patrol said alcohol and drugs were not involved.</p><p>Ball suffered minor injuries, but is feeling the enormous pain of losing his best friend, said Mike Gibson, youth counselor at Venice Bible Church.</p><p>"Sam has been breaking down about every five minutes," Gibson said. "Sam is a great kid. To see the body of his best friend like that ... you would not wish that on anybody."</p><p>Mitchell Davis was not wearing a seat belt, but that was a tragic anomaly his father said.</p><p>"Anyone who knew Mitchell knew that he always wore his seat belt," Randy Davis said. "The reason he wasn't in this case was that he had just moved to the back seat and was leaning forward to comfort his sister.</p><p>"It's so hard because these were kids who were just having a good clean time," he added. "They weren't racing or partying in the woods."</p><p>Davis said his son was a "great kid who everyone loved."</p><p>Mitchell was working for his father in a general contracting business and was doing so well that his dad changed the name of the business to Davis contracting in the hope he could pass it on to his son.</p><p>Mitchell also loved to fish.</p><p>Before working for his father, Mitchell bussed tables at the Casey Key Fish House, where he was well liked. A celebration of his life is scheduled for Saturday at the restaurant. </p><p>Youth minister Gibson said Mitchell was known for his generous spirit and will be deeply missed. </p><p>"He was described as a kid who would give you the shirt off his back," Gibson said of Davis. "They were celebrating his birthday at Busch Gardens and it was Mitchell who bought gifts there for his friends."</p><p>EARLIER: Sam Ball and Mitchell Davis were best friends who spent Saturday at Busch Gardens in celebration of Davis' 18th birthday.</p><p>But on the way home to Venice on Saturday night, Ball fell asleep on Interstate 75. The Toyota Tundra that he was driving veered off the highway about four miles south of Clark Road. As Ball jolted awake and tried to correct the truck, it flipped.</p><p>Davis, of Osprey was killed at the scene. Two other passengers, Mitchell's 21-year-old sister Azalea, and Kyle Incrocci, 17, were seriously injured. Both were in intensive care at area hospitals on Monday.</p><p>Ball suffered minor injuries, but is feeling the enormous pain of losing his best friend, said Mike Gibson, youth counselor at Venice Bible Church.</p><p>"Sam has been breaking down about every five minutes," said Gibson. "Sam is a great kid. To see the body of his best friend like that ... you would not wish that on anybody."</p><p>Gibson spent time with Ball and other young people helping them deal with the tragedy. The Florida Highway Patrol says alcohol or drugs were not present. Ball simply fell asleep, he told Gibson.</p><p>Davis, a former Venice High School student, was known for his love of fishing and his generosity.</p><p>"He was described as a kid who would give you the shirt off his back," Gibson said of Davis. "They were celebrating his birthday at Busch Gardens and it was Mitchell who bought gifts there for his friends."</p><p>Venice High School had counselors at the school Monday to help students cope with the tragedy. Ball and Incrocci are seniors at Venice.</p><p>No funeral information was available Monday. </p><p><i>Check back at heraldtribune.com for updates on this story.</i></p><p>EARLIER: The driver of a pickup that flipped over on Interstate 75 late Saturday wore a seat belt and escaped serious injury. His passengers, two of whom reportedly were not strapped in, were not so fortunate.</p><p>Mitchell Davis, 18, of Nokomis, died in the rollover accident. The former Venice High School student did not wear a seat belt and was ejected from the truck.</p><p>Kyle Incrocci, 17, a soccer player at Venice High, was in serious condition at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that Incrocci did not wear a seat belt either.</p><p>Azalea Davis, 21, of Osprey, was in serious condition at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton. Troopers say she and the driver wore seat belts.</p><p>Sam Ball, 18, of Venice — a weightlifter at Venice High School — drove the southbound 2002 Toyota Tundra. Paramedics took him to Doctors Hospital in Sarasota for treatment of minor injuries.</p><p>On his Facebook page, Ball lists Incrocci as his cousin and Mitchell Davis among his friends. The group reportedly had been out for the evening celebrating Mitchell Davis' birthday.</p><p>The FHP is still investigating the accident and no charges had been filed as of Sunday. Troopers said the crash was not alcohol related.</p><p>Shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, Ball lost control of the vehicle in a southbound lane near mile marker 201 — about four miles south of the Clark Road exit.</p><p>The pickup veered off the highway and into the grass median.</p><p>Ball attempted to steer the pickup back onto the highway, where it rotated and then overturned several times, state troopers say.</p><p>Investigators do not know what caused Ball to lose control of the vehicle.</p><p>Florida law requires drivers, front-seat passengers and all passengers younger than 18 to wear a seat belt.</p><p>According to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, the risk of death in a traffic accident is five times greater if the person is thrown from the vehicle.</p><h3>WITNESS SAW CRASH SCENE</h3>
<p>Colin Casper of Port Charlotte said that he was just behind Ball's truck when the accident occurred.</p><p>“I thought they were all dead,” Casper said. “There were bodies in the middle of the highway. The truck was nothing but pieces.”</p><p>Renae Mikita Hoover, a former neighbor, described Mitchell Davis as “a great kid, a smart kid, just a kid you loved to be around.”</p><p>She also expressed concern for two other injured passengers. Azalea, Mitchell's sister, and Incrocci remain in serious condition at regional hospitals.</p>